Non-volatile semiconductor memory cells using a floating gate to store charges thereon and memory arrays of such non-volatile memory cells formed in a semiconductor substrate are well known in the art. Typically, such floating gate memory cells have been of the split gate type, or stacked gate type.
One of the problems facing the manufacturability of semiconductor floating gate memory cell arrays has been the alignment of the various components such as source, drain, control gate, and floating gate. As the design rule of integration of semiconductor processing decreases, reducing the smallest lithographic feature, the need for precise alignment becomes more critical. Alignment of various parts also determines the yield of the manufacturing of the semiconductor products.
Self-alignment is well known in the art. Self-alignment refers to the act of processing one or more steps involving one or more materials such that the features are automatically aligned with respect to one another in that step processing. Accordingly, the present invention uses the technique of self-alignment to achieve the manufacturing of a semiconductor memory array of the split gate type.
There is a constant need to shrink the size of the memory cell arrays in order to maximize the number of memory cells on a single wafer. It is well known that forming split gate type memory cells to form the control gate and floating gate laterally adjacent to each other and over the substrate. However, separate gate formation processes are typically used to form the floating gate and the control gate. Separate formation processes require additional photo lithography masks and masking steps. Additionally, as memory cells are scaled down in size, it becomes increasingly difficult to align the two gates to each other, as well as accurately control the thickness of the insulation layer separating the two gates from each other.
There is a need for an improved technique in forming the floating gate and control gate for a split gate, non-volatile memory cell.